• 0 A History of Gospel Music

    • Music
    • by Hugh Smith
    • 07/31/2013

        Mahalia Jackson pictured here, (1911-1972), was one of the great gospel singers. Thomas A. Dorsey is recognized as "the father of gospel music." Read a snapshot about A History of Gospel Music by Robert Darden and/or listen to Robert talk to Michelle Norris about why this chapter of black history is not well documented. 

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    0 10 African American Authors Everyone Should Read

    You might debate who should or who should not be on this list. I agree with 9 out of the 10. What do you think? Take a look at the 10 African American Authors Everyone Should Read by James Marshall Crotty.

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    0 African American Chemist - The First

      Eslanda Goode Robeson was the first African American analytical chemist. She received her Ph.D. from the Hartford Connecticut Theological Seminary. A world scholar, Eslanda met her future husband Paul Robeson while they were students at Columbia University (1919). They were married in 1921.

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    0 African American Magazine Before Ebony or Jet

    John H. Johnson did a lot to move African American magazines forward in the 1940's with The Negro Digest, Ebony, and Jet. Johnson wasn't the first person to publish a magazine that spoke to the interests of black people. In July 1938 The Mirror of Liberty, the first edition of a quarterly periodical was published by David Ruggles. 

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    0 Rosa Parks - Symbol of a Movement

    Watch and listen to the Rosa Parks story in :30 seconds

  • 0 Bill Cosby Ahead of His Time

    1966. Bill Cosby makes African American history:

  • 0 Black History Inventors Encore

    The free Black History Inventors reference profiled in this short video includes many amazing individuals. Many have received U.S. patents. You can listen to black history inventors historical facts through your speaker or headphones spoken by a real person in this Android app. An excellent reference about black history inventors available in Google Play and the Amazon App Store. It's not just for Black History Month, but for anytime. Developed by Quikthinking.com for Android.   2018 Update: This is the original 2012 version of the app you see in the video. A new version is finished and will be released in 2018.

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    0 Bessie Smith the Empress of the Blues

    • Music
    • by Hugh Smith
    • 12/12/2012

      Bessie Smith, (1898-1937), recorded over 80 records for Columbia. Her legendary recordings sold over ten million copies. "Down Hearted Blues," her first recording, sold over one million copies in 1923. She achieved her biggest hit in 1929 with "Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out." The influence of blues song stylist Smith can be heard in the music of Janis Joplin, Dinah Washington, Mahalia Jackson, and Billie Holiday. Smith, known as "The Empress of the Blues" was discovered by blues singer Ma Rainey in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1910.

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    0 Black History the Music Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

    Are you ready for some spirited commentary and a frank warning with historical background written by Deeann D. Mathews about what happens when a music artist goes to work with a record label? Don't be shocked by Black History the Music Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know!

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    0 Black History People Photo Slideshow

      Black History People Photo Slideshow   2018 update: this video was originally a quiz. We removed the quiz. Now the video is a straight 30 second slideshow.